Leatherman

Leatherman – the original multi-tool since 1983

Leatherman is an American brand that invented the modern multi-tool. The company was founded in July 1983 by Tim Leatherman and Steve Berliner in Portland, Oregon, where the head office and factory remain to this day. The idea came about in 1975 when Tim and his wife Chau were travelling in Europe with an unreliable Fiat 600. While Tim repeatedly tried to repair the car and leaking hotel pipes with a Boy Scout knife, he realised what was missing: a pocketknife-tool with pliers.

The PST and the start-up

It took Tim Leatherman eight years in the garage, three years on the prototype and five years of rejections before his first order came in – 500 units of the Pocket Survival Tool (PST) from the Cabela's catalogue in 1983. The PST had 14 tools (including the groundbreaking pliers) and sold 30,000 units in its first year. Today Leatherman has sold over 128 million tools and distributes in more than 80 countries. Tim Leatherman took his name seriously: "It has to be perfect – my name is on every tool."

Wave, Surge and a broad range

After the PST came a series of well-known models: Wave (17 functions, launched as the flagship in 2004 and still a bestseller), Surge (12.5 oz, 21 tools), Skeletool, Charge, the Free series, Raptor (medical shears for rescue personnel), and Style (just 23 g). The multi-tools are built around a pair of pliers and can include knife blades (straight and serrated), screwdrivers, saws, wire cutters, bottle and can openers – all with a locking mechanism that keeps the tool safely open during use. All Leatherman tools come with a 25-year guarantee and are still built in Portland by around 700 employees. A safe choice for anyone who wants a lasting, lifelong tool.